Chicago Fire Defeat Colorado Rapids 2-1 In High-Spirited Affair

CHICAGO, Ill. (June 19, 2013) – The Chicago Fire (4-7-3, 15 points) defeated the Colorado Rapids (5-6-5, 20 points) 2-1 Wednesday evening at Toyota Park. Deshorn Brown put the visitors up first in the 17th minute but Mike Magee equalized six minutes later and Austin Berry headed home the game-winner in the 47th as the Men in Red emerged the victors of a high-spirited match.

The Rapids would capitalize on a rare defensive miscue in the 17th minute. Alex played an innocuous ball to Berry 40-yards from goal. Berry took a touch but Brown came racing in, picked the ball off of Berry’s foot and dribbled in to the 18-yard-box and slotted it past Johnson for the opening goal of the match.

The Fire would equalize just six minutes later when Dilly Duka received the ball in the Fire’s half and went racing down the left flank. Duka broke into the penalty area but as Rapids’ defender Marvell Wynne made the sliding clearance, his hand made contact with the ball and was whistled for the penalty.

Magee stepped up and with the cheeky chip, went to Rapids ‘keeper Clint Irwin’s right and buried the penalty to equalize in the 23rd minute.

Just ten minutes later, Anibaba drove in a low cross for the right side of the pitch to Nyarko. With a quick pivot, the wily midfielder, found Magee on the far post, who smashed his one-time effort into goal past Irwin but Magee was half a step offside and the goal was called back.

The Men in Red would find the eventual game-winner just minutes into the second half. Jeff Larentowicz pounced on a rebound 30-yards from goal and sent a curling cross in towards goal. Waiting on the back post, Berry out jumped his defender and snapped his header down to the opposite post and past Irwin to put the Men in Red up 2-1.

The visitors would continue to press and in the 52nd minute, Edson Buddle received the ball at the top of the 18 and blasted his half-volley towards goal but it dinged off the post and out to safety.

The Rapids would hit the woodwork again in second half stoppage time. Brown played a ball across the face of the Fire goal to Tony Cascio on the back post, but his right footed shot went straight off the post.

In the waning moments of the match, Sturgis found Brown at the penalty spot. The Rapids rookie brought the ball down and buried his shot but was called for the hand ball as the match ended 2-1 in favor of the Fire.

The Men in Red face a quick turnaround as they hit the road to take on the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, June 22 at 7:00 p.m. CT (My50/La Ley 107.9). Just four days later the Fire return home and welcome Orlando City SC to Toyota Park for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal match on Wednesday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for the match are available by calling 888-MLS-Fire, by visiting www.Chicago-Fire.com or Ticketmaster. The Open Cup match will serve as Bonus Game 3 in the Fire Season Ticket and Ten Game packages.

Notes:

-With the win, the Fire move to 18-12-8 all-time against the Rapids in regular season play.

-The Fire are undefeated in the last five matches across all competitions.

-Mike Magee’s goal in the 23rd minute was his fifth goal in five consecutive matches across all competitions to start his Fire career.

-Austin Berry’s goal in the 47th minute was his first of the season. The reigning MLS Rookie of the Year has four career MLS goals to his credit. This was also Berry’s second game-winning goal of his career.